Anne Steirman sat with her daughter, Emily, on her lap, watching as the 6-month-old inquisitively pulled at her toes.
“They do new cute things every day,” the San Mateo resident said, a baby gurgle punctuating her remark.
Engulfed in the new experience of motherhood, Steirman has all sorts of stories to tell: Some are warm and fuzzy tales of her baby’s development, others are reports of the frustrations involved with raising a child.
She looks forward to sharing them all at the Peninsula Parents Place drop-in center, which opened this week in Jewish Family and Children’s Services’ newly leased, 7,000-square-foot space at 410 Sherman Ave. in Palo Alto.
Parents Place is a nonsectarian program of the S.F.-based Jewish Family and Children’s Services.
Launched in 1975, the program aims at strengthening families by providing a comprehensive network of parenting resources, including workshops on various relevant topics, advice from trained parent educators and child-care information.
The new Peninsula drop-in center augments programs already in place in San Francisco, San Rafael and Santa Rosa. There are toys and activities for children ages 5 and under, as well as professional support for their parents and a chance for everyone to socialize.
“Being a parent can feel very isolating and lonely in modern life,” said Karen Friedland Brown, the new parent education coordinator for Peninsula Parents Place. “With so many people working, neighbors don’t provide the connection they used to. We provide this.”
The Palo Alto center, open from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. on Mondays and 9:30 a.m. to noon on Wednesdays, is not an alternative to day care, but “a place where parents can come with their children and work with them hands-on, while getting advice” at a nominal cost, she said.
The program is based on the philosophy that there is no one “right way” to parent and that all parents can benefit from help and support.
“The idea is to make the parents experts on their child’s development,” said Friedland Brown. “Each child is unique and we can help them see what’s good for each individual child.”
Steirman, a Parents Place committee member, was drawn to the program by its educational component. Between taking care of Emily, keeping her house organized and finding “a little bit of time to myself” Steirman said she often feels overwhelmed and devoid of solutions.
“When I try to put her down she cries and I feel bad leaving her,” said Steirman. “I end up carrying her around with me. It’s hard to do things one-handed.
“Maybe other [parents and professionals] can explain what I can do.”
Steirman’s dilemma is not uncommon, said Friedland Brown, a parent educator for 10 years.
“The challenges [parents] face are normal,” she said. “We all get stuck. We’re so close and emotionally involved with our children that it’s often times difficult to back away enough to be creative and see what to do differently.”
And for parents who need more than the drop-in center can provide, Parents Place will set up private consultations with staff, recommend appropriate workshops or make referrals to outside professionals, she said.
The on-site workshops are offered throughout the year — some for parents and children, some for parents only. Topics range from “Developing Friendships” to “Positive Discipline for Preschoolers.” Fees are on a sliding scale.
Parents Place was designed after the “family support” model, a concept based on research and field experience that developed in the United states during the 1970s. Since its San Francisco inception, the program has become the model for more than 200 parenting programs across the country.
Peninsula Parents Place can be reached by calling (650) 688-3040.